3 weeks ago
High Court Stays BMC Eviction of YMCA Gymnasium, Wrestling Arena
In Mumbai, a big city in India, there is a place called the YMCA gym where people exercise and children learn traditional wrestling.
The city government, called the BMC, told the YMCA to leave the building.
It said the building was not clean and was not taken care of well.
The YMCA said that was not fair, because nobody let them explain their side first.
They said the city did not give them a proper meeting or a final order.
The YMCA has helped young people play sports for a very long time, nearly 150 years.
The gym was built in 1964, and many thousands of children have used it.
On the day the city tried to move the equipment out, many police officers came.
But a very important court called the Bombay High Court said, 'Stop!'
and the eviction had to pause.
Now the YMCA can go to court to tell its side of the story.
The Bombay High Court stayed the BMC's eviction of the YMCA gymnasium and traditional wrestling arena at Abdul Rehman Sufi Maidan in Agripada, Mumbai.
The BMC issued a notice on July 21 ordering the YMCA to hand over the site within seven days or face a police-assisted unilateral takeover.
The civic action followed a complaint by a local municipal councillor alleging the structure was unhygienic and not properly maintained.
The YMCA said no proper physical hearing was conducted and no final order was served, and it approached the High Court on August 11 after learning police bandobast was sought for August 12-14.
Over 100 police personnel and about 50 BMC officials reached the site for the eviction, but the court's intervention around 1.30 pm halted it and loaded gym equipment was brought back.
- Who
- YMCA, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the Bombay High Court
- What
- The Bombay High Court stayed the BMC's eviction of the YMCA gymnasium and traditional wrestling arena at Abdul Rehman Sufi Maidan
- Where
- Abdul Rehman Sufi Maidan (formerly Willingdon Ground), Agripada, Mumbai
- When
- The stay was granted on August 12, 2026, following a BMC notice issued on July 21, 2026
- Why
- The YMCA challenged the takeover, saying no proper hearing was held and no final order was served, after a councillor's complaint about hygiene and maintenance
YMCA
BMC & Local Councillor
Condition of the site
YMCA
The gymnasium was built by the YMCA in 1964 and has served lakhs of youngsters through sports and physical education; documents on possession and management were submitted.
BMC & Local Councillor
A local municipal councillor complained that the structure was unhygienic and not properly maintained, prompting the civic action.
Fairness of the eviction process
YMCA
The YMCA claims no proper physical hearing was conducted and no final order was served before the proposed takeover.
BMC & Local Councillor
The BMC issued a formal notice with a deadline and sought police bandobast to carry out the takeover between August 12 and 14.
Key facts
- Court
- Bombay High Court
- Civic body
- BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation)
- Site
- Abdul Rehman Sufi Maidan (formerly Willingdon Ground), Agripada, Mumbai
- BMC notice
- Issued July 21, with a seven-day deadline to hand over the site
- YMCA gymnasium built
- 1964
- YMCA history
- Nearly 150-year-old organisation that says the gym served lakhs of youngsters
- Eviction operation
- Over 100 police personnel and around 50 BMC officials and workers
- Stay granted
- Around 1.30 pm on August 12, 2026, during the eviction operation










